End-to-end Quality of Service support over heterogeneous networks (EuQoS)

Abstract

The EuQoS project aimed to resolve outstanding design issues presently associated with the delivery of end to end Quality of Service across heterogeneous networks. With the help of EuQoS the network infrastructure should be upgraded so that new applications can be supported by the Internet and new service packages can be offered by operators, ISPs and other service providers. Our research group was involved in the work packages 1, 3, 5 and 6.

WP1 (Business Model and System Design) defined an architecture for different aspects of the EuQoS system. We finalized the support for QoS regarding IP Multicast. Our research focused on providing an efficient and transparent support for ALM on end systems but still offering the IP Multicast API. Mechanisms for setting up a QoS-aware P2P overlay network have been investigated and resulted in an architectural adaptation of Scribe / Pastry. The Multicast Middleware framework was extended with the ability to perform QoS reservations for IP Multicast groups by the enduser through a web-service enabled interface. The Multicast Middleware maps the reservations for the multicast groups to the respective unicast connections of the ALM and performs the corresponding QoS reservations in the EuQoS system.

WP3 (Implementation of the EuQoS System) delivers the proposed applications and services according to the architectures defined in WP1. We developed a transparent multicast facility known as “Multicast Middleware,” which is based on a virtual network interface (TAP) and has been implemented mostly using Java (version 5.0) to support different operating systems (Win32, Linux and Mac OS X). The Multicast Middleware is independent from the underlying QoS mechanisms. It uses the EuQoS QoS signaling to reserve the required QoS in underlying network. The overlay network is constructed using a Scribe/Pastry implementation called Freepastry. This implementation has been extended to support QoS-aware construction of multicast trees by Scribe through modifying the basic node distribution mechanisms of Pastry. Another focus has been the performance. Therefore, the Multicast Middleware has been optimized to support high bandwidth data dissemination with 100 Mbps and more on end-systems with recent hardware. The Multicast Middleware has been successfully demonstrated at the final review of the EuQoS project.

WP5 (EuQoS Pan European trials) built a testbed environment in which the developed prototypes and applications can be tested and evaluated. Different heterogeneous networks (WLAN, UMTS, LAN, xDSL, etc.) are interconnected in a full mesh among the partners. Our testbed represents a high speed gigabit-LAN-based network interconnected by GRE tunnels to twelve other testbeds belonging to other EuQoS consortium partners. Different prototypes of the EuQoS system and some of its applications have been successfully tested in this environment. The testbed located in Bern was also used for evaluating and testing the Multicast Middleware. Furthermore, a seminar held in Poland has been broadcasted to several other partners through the testbed using Video Lan Client (VLC) in combination with the Multicast Middleware.

WP6 (Dissemination, Standards and Training) focused on delivering the project results to the public. In addition to leading and managing the whole work package, our main contributions addressed the training activities. Within this context, a course focusing on QoS related topics has been developed for students and industrial learners. The goal of the course is to raise the familiarity with QoS technologies for next generation networks and applications. The course is based on distance learning technologies and consists of seven QoS related modules. We have developed the didactical concept of the e-learning course and coordinated its implementation. In particular, we have developed the course modules “Applications’ QoS demands”, “Implementing protocols on network simulators” including a tool for the visualization and animation of simulator trace files (VAT4Net), “Multicast in EuQoS system”, and an overview animation for the “EuQoS overview” module.

Besides the e-learning activities, the EuQoS partners have written the learning book “End-to-End Quality of Service Over Heterogeneous Networks” published by Springer. It covers QoS mechanisms in heterogeneous networks, the EuQoS system as a case study for a comprehensive end-to-end QoS architecture, and development methodologies. It fosters awareness of QoS mechanisms and presents the EuQoS approach as a comprehensive architecture offering end-to-end QoS over heterogeneous networks. The book provides the basis for different network lectures at universities and shows the latest QoS developments and standards for industrial researchers and engineers. Members of our research group coordinated the publication and editing process of the book.

Project Details